Ind. Gay Marriage Fight Delayed, Not Over

Curt Smith, president of Indiana Family Institute, speaks to a group from Citizens for Community Values of Indiana at a noon rally at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014. The Indiana Senate effectively pushed off a statewide vote on a gay marriage ban for at least two years, and possibly longer. In a parliamentary move that spared state senators a tough vote on the measure, the Senate advanced the marriage ban without the “second sentence” ban on civil unions. The House stripped that language from the amendment before passing it last month, and the Senate’s decision not to restore the language before voting Thursday means the effort to amend the constitution must start fresh. (AP Photo/The Indianapolis Star, Charlie Nye) NO SALES

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Senate’s decision not to restore a ban on civil unions to the state’s proposed gay marriage ban means voters won’t be able to decide the issue for at least two years.

Senators approved a proposed constitutional amendment Thursday to ban gay marriage. But they didn’t restore language stripped by the House that also would have banned civil unions.

In Indiana, a proposed amendment must twice be approved by the Legislature, unchanged in consecutive legislative sessions, before making the ballot.

The measure sailed through both chambers during the 2011-2012 session. But some House members had reservations about the civil union language during the current 2013-2014 session

Both sides are vowing strong fights in 2015-2016

The Senate’s president says he expects the U.S. Supreme Court to be the final say.